Book cover folding machine



Feb. 21, 1933. P. R. GLASS BOOK COVER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1933. R GLASS n 1,898,123

BOOK dovER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept 28, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1933. P, ss 1,898,123

BOOK COVER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNETE TATES PEP-LE1 R. GLASS, OF WAYLAND, MASSACHU$ETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COBPOBATIGN, OF PATERSON, IEEW' JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY BOOK CGVER FOLDING Iv'IACHINE Application filed September 28, 1928. Serial No; 309,020.

This invention relates to folding machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for folding the margins of the covers of cases in which books are bound.

In the manufacture of such cases it is customary to cement two boards to a cover of flexible material, such as leather or cloth, with the margins of the cover proj ctng beyond the edges of the boards, and then to fold these projecting margins over upon the adjacent margins of the boards to form the case. The corners of the cases may be round or square, and the manner in which the parts of a case. are cut and folded differs according to whether round corners or square corners are desired, the present invention being concerned more particularly with the folding of round cornered cases. Such cases, when finished, have four straight edges and four round corners; and two types of machines for folding such cases have been proposed. In one type the four straight edges and the four round corners are folded at a single opera tion. In the other type the straight edges are presented one at a time to a st aight edge folding mechanism and the round corners are presented similarly to a round corner folding mechanism, the present invention being illustrated as embodied in a machine of the latter type.

The straight edge folding mechanism of machines of this type commonly comprises a work support and an edge guide so arranged that when the work is placed upon the support the margin of the cover is bent upright about t is edge of the adjacent board. After the work has been so placed, a reciproeating folder moves over the support to fold the margin of the cover over upon the margin of the board, and then the work support is raised to press the fold against the under side of the folder.

According to one feature of the present invention there is provided a pivoted folder adapted to be swung about its pivotal axis by an actuator to which it is connected by link mechanism. In the illustrated machine the folder is a normally upright flat bar, and the actuator is a reciprocating plate which swings the folder into a horizontal position and moves over the folder so as to form a firm backing or support for the folder when the work support is raised to press the fold against the under side of the folder. Such a construction, while adapted for all sizes of work, is particularly advantageous when large bookcases having long tops, bottoms and sides are being operated upon. The sw nging folder bar folds the margin ofthe cover evenly over the board, and the actuator prevents the folder bar from springing when the work support is moved up to press the fold against the under side of the folder bar.

The round corner folding mechanism of machines of this type commonly comprises a substantially triangular work support the apex of which has a round corner correspond ingto the round corners of the boards over which the corner portions of the margin of the cover are folded. The work support is mounted in a carrier, which may be moved up and down, for a purpose presently to be eX- plained; and a spring, located between the carrier and the work support, normally holds the work support with its face flush with the top of an edge guide, said edge guide being shaped to it about the edge of the work support. When the work has been placed upon the work support with the margin at the corner of the cover projecting over the edge guide, a presser operates to push down the work and the work support so as to cause the margin of the cover to be bent upwardly. Thereafter a reciprocating folder moves over the work support to fold the upstanding margin of the cover, and the work support car ier is raised to cause the work support to press the fold against the under side of the folder. The carrier of the work support is then lowered to relieve the pressure, and the folder is withdrawn. When the carrier is lowered to relieve the pressure of the work upon the under face of the folder, and the folder is withdrawn, a difficulty is sometimes encountered by reason of the fact that the spring, which is located between the work support and the carrier, tends to raise the work support and consequently to hold the folded margin of the work pressed up against the under face of the folder during the withdrawal of the folder.

According to another feature of the invention the work support is locked in its depressed position until the folder has been withdrawn from the completed fold. In the illustrated machine means are provided for locking the depressed work support to its carrier and for subsequently releasing the looking means. And, as shown, the locking and unlocking of the work support is controlled by the same mechanism which operates the folder in such a manner that the work support is locked in its depressed position before the folder starts its folding movement, and remains locked until the folder has been withdrawn from the completed fold. with such a construction there is no possibility that the folder, during its withdrawal, may disarrange the fold.

The round corner folding mechanism is also commonly provided with a forming block which cooperates with the folder to cause small, evenly spaced plaits to be formed in the folded margin of the cover. This forming block is yieldingly mounted and located in the path of movement of the folder; and in the folding operation, the margin of the cover is pressed against the block by the folder in such a manner that the margin is frictionally gripped. Thereafter the folder and the forming block move together to pull the mar in of the. cover tightly about the corner of the board; and, during this movement together, the margin of the cover is dragged between the folder and the block. As the folding of the margin progresses, the effective thickness of the margin increases due to the formation of the plaits, and the force with which the margin is frictionally gripped between the folder and the block may therefore unduly increase.

In order to obviate this possibility and in accordance with another feature of the invention, the forming block, during the time that the margin of the cover is gripped b tween it and the folder, is caused to move at a speed greater than that of the folder so that the space between these two members in creases during the foldin operation. In the illustrated machine there is provided between the forming block and the folder a connectingmechanism such that movement of the folder at a given speed moves the forming block at a greater speed. There is thus provided a progressively increasing space between the forming block and the folder to provide for the thicker, plaited portions of the margin.

The round corner folding mechanism operates to fold not only the round corner itself but a certain extent of the straight portions of the margin which are adjacent to the round corner. In order to ensure that these straight portions shall be tightly drawn about the board, and in accordance with another feature of the invention, the edge guide is provided with wiping mechanism for operating upon the portions. In the illustrated machine there are yieldingly mounted in the straight portions of the edge guide two wipers which normally project beyond the effective faces of the guide. When, therefore, the corner portion of a case is placed upon the work support with the margin of the cover of the case projecting more or less over the edge guide, and the presser descends to push down the work and the work sup port so as to cause the margin of the cover to be bent upward against the face of the edge guide, the yielding wipers act upon the straight portions of the cover, one on each side of the round corner, to draw said straight portions tightly about the edges of the board.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

eferring now to the accompanying drawingsz Fig. l is a perspective of a machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a corner of a finished book case;

Fig. 3 is a View of the machine principally in vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing more particularly the work-engaging parts of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the mounting of the swinging straight-edge folder;

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections showing the swinging straight-edge folder in two posit-ions;

Fig. 8 is a plan, partly broken away, of the round corner edge guide showing the mounting of the wipers;

I Figs. 9 and 10 are elevations partly in section showing the parts of the round corner folding mechanism in two positions;

Fig. 11 is a perspective of the round corner folder and its carrier;

Fig. 12 is a perspective of the mechanism through wnich accelerated movement is imparted to the forming block by the round corner folder;

Fig. 13 is a perspective of two members of the mechanism which is shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspeetive, partly in section. of the mechanism for locking the work support or table of the round corner folding mechanism in depressed position; and

Fig. 15 is a cross-section on the line XIV? XIV of Fig. 3, showing the same mechanism which is shown in Fig. 1%.

Before describing what is new, a brief description of what is old will be given. The machine, as has been explained, is designed to fold the margins of covers of cases for books over the edges of the boards thereof and comprises round corner folding mechanism.

The work, which is the unfolded case of a book, commonly comprises two boards, each of which has two rounded corners, one such board being shown at 100 (Fig. 2), and a cover at 200. The cover is of flexible sheet material such as leather, imitationleather or cloth. T he boards may be of a thick and stiff material such as cardboard or of a thin and comparatively flexible material such as paper. The work, as it comes to the ma chine, consists of the boards beyond the edges of which the margin of the cover projects; and two alternative methods of folding such a piece of work are commonly employed. Either the four straight edges are folded first up to points adjacent to the round corners, and then the round corners are folded, or else the round corners are folded first and then the straight edges. Either method may be carried out by the illustrated machine; but, for convenience, the machine will be described as used to fold the straight edges first and then the round corners.

The straight-edge folding mechanism comprises a fiat work support or table 21 (Figs. 1 and and a straight edge guide 23, the work being placed upon the support in such a manner that the edge guide and the normally upright, folder 25 bend up the margin of the cover substantially at right angles to the surface of the support; and, when power is applied to the machine, the folder folds the upstanding margin over upon the board or boards up to points adjacent to two of the rounded corners of the boards. The folder 25 of the illustrated machine is new; and inasmuch as the purpose of the present introductory description is principally to point out what is old, it will be sufiicient at this time to explain with respect to this folder that it is a pivoted plate which swings from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7 to fold the upstanding margin of the cover 200 over upon the board 100. When this has been done, the support 21 is raised to press the fold against the under face of the folder. Referring to Fig. 3, the table or support 21 is adjustably mounted, by means of cap screws, one of which is shown at 27 and an adjusting screw 29, upon a vertically reciprocable cross head 31 which is raised at the proper time by means of a lever 33 and a suitable cam on the drive shaft 35. The parts of the machine normally occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 with the folder 25 upright and the support 21 in lowered position. The work is placed upon the support, as shown in Fig. 6, and then power is applied to the drive shaft 35 to cause it to make one revolution whereupon the folder swings over into the position shown in Fig. 7, the supportrises straight-edge folding mechanism and I to press the fold, and then the parts return to the positions shown in Fig. 3 ready for the presentation of a second piece of work.

The round corner folding mechanism (Fig. 1) comprises a substantially triangular work support or table 37 having at its apex a rounded corner the curvature of which corresponds to the curvature at the round corner of a board 100; and cooperating with this work support is an edge guide 41 which is shaped to fit about the work support 37. Upon this work support the corner portion of the case of a book is placed. The corner portion of the case is located in proper position by means of two corner guides, one of which is shown at 89, said guides being adapted to'engage the folded straight edges of the work at two localities one on each side of the round corner. When power is applied to the machine, these corner guides, as will presently appear, are lifted to get them out of the path of the corner folder.

The upper surface of the triangular work support 37 is normally flush with the upper surface of the edge guide e1, as shown in Fig. 3, so that at this time the corner portion of the margin of the cover overhangs the edge guide more or less. Power is now applied to the machine to cause a forming plate, two work pressers, a folder and a forming block to be operated. The forming plate 13 and the work pressers 45 (Figs. 1 and l) are brought down together upon the work and caused to depress the work and the work support into the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10, during which movement the margin at the corner of the cover is bentupright by contact with the edge guide 11. The forming plate and the pressers move down always to a predetermined level which is slightly below that of the upper surface of the edge guide 41. The forming plate, the efiective end of which is rounded to correspond to the round corner of the board, is then moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 9, until its end registers with the round corner of the board. It is shown in register with the corner in that figure. Next, the folder 7 is moved to the left to fold the margin of the cover over the rounded end of the forming plate. As shown in Fig. 9, the folder has just started the folding operation. The folder 47 and the reciprocating slide 49 to which it is fast are shown best in Fig. 11.

When the margin at a corner of the cover is folded over the round corner of the forming plate and that of the board, plaits are formed in said margin. In order to cause the plaits to be small and evenly spaced so that no objectionable bunching of cover material shall occur in the finished case, there is provided a forming block 51 (Figs. 9 and 10) which has a rounded forward end thc curvature of which is more abrupt than that ofthe rounded corner of the board; and the folder is provided with a recess 53 (Fig. 11) shaped to receive the forming block. During the first part of the operative movement of the folder, the edge -of the recess 53 gathers the margin at the corner of the cover about the forming block; and then, as the folder continues its movement, the forming block is pushed along ahead of the folder, the distance between the edge of the recess 53 and the adjacent surface of the forming block being maintained such that, as the margin drags between them, a frictional pull is exerted upon the margin. YVith such a construction the margin at the corner of the cover is folded tightly over the round corner of the forming plate and that of the board; and the plaits are small and evenly spaced. I The mechanism in the illustrated machine by which the forming block 51 is pushed along ahead of the folder is new; and since the purpose of this introductory description is principally to describe what is old, this mechanism will be described later.

fter the folder has completed itsfolding movement, the forming plate is withdrawn from beneath th folded over margin of the cover and the work supportis raised to press the fold against the under surface of the folder. Thereafter the work support is lowered, and the parts of the machine return to their normal positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The corner guides 39 are carried at the outer end of the arms of a forked member 55 VFAlCll is ustably fastened to a rock-shaft 57. The corner guides are automatically swun up out of the way of the folder when the folder begins its folding movement, and held up out of the way until the folder has returned to its normal position of rest by means of a cam 59 (Fig. l) which is fast to the reciprocating slide or carrier 19 to which the folder a7 is also fast. The inclined end of the cam 59 moves beneath a roller 61 which is mounted upon the forked member 55 and raises the corner guides 89. In case it is desired to fold the round corners of the cover before the straight portions are folded, it is necessary that the corner guides be lifted before the corner portion of the case is presented to the corner folding mechanism so that the projecting margin of the cover may be thrust beneath the corner guides. To this end 1) there is fast to one end of the rock-shaft 57 an arm 63 which may be rocked upwardly by pushing up a rod 65. This rod is connected at its lower end to a heel-and-toe treadle (not shown), the connection being such that, when the heel end of the treadle is depressed, the corner guides are raised to permit theprojecting margin of the work to be thrust beneath them, and wh n the'heel end of the treadle is released, the guides descend upon the projecting margin of the cover in position to engage the edges of the board adjacent to the round corner thereof. Depression of the toe end of the treadle, through connections not shown, causes the counter shaft 35 to make one revolution and come to rest.

Turning now to the mechanism for movin the forming plate 43 and the forming block 51 into and out of operative position, a bracket 6? (Fig. 3) by which the plate and block are carried is ad iustably mounted upon a sleeve 69 which is adjustably fastened to the outer end of a rod 71. This rod is slidahle in an arm 73, which is mounted for swinging movement about the common axis of two alined rock-shafts, one of which is indicated at 7 5, and has at its rear end a roll which is received in an arcuate cam-track 77 the center of curvature of which is the common axis of the alined rock-shafts 75. The arm 73 may thus be swung up or down without causing sliding movement of the rod in the arm. .ln order to cause the rod 71 to slide in the arm 73, when desired, the arcuate cam-track 71 is formed at the upper end of one arm of a bell crank lever T9, the upper end of the thcr arm of which carries a roll 81 actuated o by clos d cam on the counter-shaft 35. The arm 73 1S forked at its rear end and the forks cm the two alined rockshafts, which have seen referred to, one of which is shown at 75 an 3, said rock-shafts having each in its 1 conical recess to receive the conical ends of bearing screws 83 (Fig. 1). The arm is lowered and raised by a lever 85 (Fi 3) which is pivoted upon one of the rock-shafts and has a roll running on a cam on the counter-shaft 35. A spring 89 holds the roll against the cam. The upper end of the lever 85 is forked (Fig. 1) and is detachably connected with the forked upper end of the upright arm of a bell crank lever 89 by latch in the form of a bolt 91, which is pivoted at 93 in the fork of the upright arm of the bell crank lever 89, said bolt having a thumb nut and a lock nut upon its free end. The horizontal arm of the bell crank lever 89 is connected to the arm 73 by mechanism indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 95. This mechanism will not be described further than to explain that it provides means for adjusting the arm 73 so as to determine the position to which. the arm swin down as well as means for causing the arm T3 to be swung when the bel crank lever 89 is swung. The work pressers, one of which is shown at 15 (Fig. 1), are carried at the ends of stems WQlCll are mounted in the arm 73.

The forming block 51, which cooperates with the folder in controlling the formation of plaits, (Figs. 3, 9 and 10), is fast to one end of a rod 97 which is slidably mounted in a block 99 pivoted at 101 between the downwardly extending arms of the bracket 67. A tension spring 103, which is fast at one end to a pin in the bracket 67 and at the other end to a pin in the block 99, tends to swing the block about its pivot as far as an adjustable stop screw 105 will permit. 'The forming block 51 is urged. at all times to the right, as viewed in Figs. 9 and 10, by a coiled spring 107 and is limited in this movement by a stop 103 which is split at its lower portion and o a pinch-screw 111 to the split n adjusting nut 113. Slidable the block and threaded through a rod ll5, one end of which is i up-l1 a portion for .ing When it is desired to adjust the in l: 51. orining block forward and back over the owning plate l3 upon which its flat bottom 'ests, the pincl'i-screr. 111 is loosened and the 113 tui.

, 4 (Fig. 3) of the round folding mechanism is mounted on the 'tically slidable cross-head 31 on e work supportill of the straight edge folding mechanism is mounted, and con- "ently the two work supports are raised lowered at the same time. T he particular manner in which the work support 37 is mounted in the crosshead 31 is new and will be described in detail later.

e carrier e9 to which the round corner er a7 is fast is reciprocated by means of leve 117 pivoted to the machine frame at 119 end a roll 121 which ween two lugs formed upon the of tie folder carrier 49. This lso has a roll 123 which runs in the when the shaft makes a revfolder makes a complete rebeneath the folder carrier 49 is a lly slidable plate 125 which is con- I rrier 49 by a doublehorizonta 4O nected with the folder ca ended pin 12?. the upper end of said pin exr I oosely into a bore in the carrier l l toe lower end extending loosely into a p ate. Cons-emiently, when the .9 is reciprocated, the plate 125 ed. in former constructions 5 was itself the folder of the i folding mechanism; but in the present machine, will appear below, it

to and to support the sw reeiprocat plate 12 "ht-ed as of its construction per se form no part of the present invention.

T ning new to the new features, those of the may edge folding mechanism will be described first. Referring more particularly will not be further described. since the details v to Figs. 4 to 7 the swinging plate 25, which is the folder, is provided with two portions 228, 230 which project from the face of the plate and are the eifective portions of the folder. ticular folder shown is adapted to fold the straight edges of a case of a particular size.

A case is commonly oblong, the top and bot It will be understood that the par- 1 rigidly connected by a bar 139, the forward edge of which forms the edge guide 23 for the work. The swinging folder has fast to its ends arms 135, 137, the hubs of which are provided with bores to receive respectively the pins 128, 129. In Fig. 5, the arm 135 with one end of the folder 25 and the stationary lug 130 with part of the bar 139 are shown in spaced relation. In order to assemble the parts, pin 128 pulled to the left, as shown; then the hub of the arm 135 is placed at the right of the lug 133, the pin 128 is pushed to the right so as to extend into the bore in the hub of the arm 135, and the set screw 133 tightened once more. I

In order to actuate the folder 25, the arms 135, 137, to which it is fast, are swung about the common axis of the pivots 128, 129; and this swinging movement is imparted to the arms by the reciprocation of the actuator plate 125 which has been described above (see also Fig. 3). Fast to opposite margins of the plate 125 are brackets 141, 143 to which links 145, 147 are pivoted respectively at 149, 151. The forward ends of these links 145, 147 are pivoted respectively at 153, 155 to the rear end of curved links 157, 159, the forward end of the curved link 157 being pivoted at 161 to the outer end of the arm 135, and the for- I ward end of the curved link 159 being pivoted at 163 to the outer end of the arm 137. With this construction it will be clear that, when the plate 125 is moved forward (toward the left as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7) from the position shown in Figs. 4 and 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7, the folder 25 will be swung from its normal vertical position into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 7 and in this movement will fold the upstanding margin of the straight edge of the cover 200 (Fi 6) down upon the board 100 7).

lnasmuch as the different pieces of work which are of substantially the same thickness may vary somewhat in that dimension, it is the set screw 133 is loosened and the desirable to provide means for permitting the folder actuating mechanism to yield when occasion arises. To this end the levers 145, 147 are mounted for yielding movement. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the right-hand end of the lever is received between a stop screw and a. spring-pressed plunger 167 It should be particularly noted that, when the plate 125 has been moved into the position shown in Fig. 7, the forward portion of the plate rests upon the upper surface of the swinging folder 25 and serves as a firm backing for the folder against the upward thrust of the table 21, when that table is moved up to press the folder. It should also be noted that the axis about which the folder 25 swings (Fig. 6) coincides substantially with the upper corner of the edge gage 23.

In order to ensure that the margin of the work shall be evenly folded and the fold uniformly pressed irrespective of slight diiferences in thickness which may be present in the work, the work support 21 has a recess to receive a plate 173 (Fig. l) of spring metal, the operative portion of said plate comprising a plurality of tongues as shown; and beneath this plate is a rubber pad 175.

'Turning now to the round corner folding mechanism, and referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it has been explained that the triangular work support 37 normally occupies the position shown with .its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the edge guide 41; and that, when a piece of work has been placed upon it and the arm 7 3 swung down, the work support is pushed down to the position shown in Fig. 10. It is desirable that the work support be locked to the cross-head 31 until after the fold has been made, the fold pressed and the folder withdrawn. The work support 37 has a round stem 177 which is loosely held in av socket in a casting 179, this casting being vertically'slidable in a guideway formed in an extension of the vertically reciprocable cross-head 31. as bes shown in 1 1 and 15, the casting being held in the guideway by a cap piece 181 which is fastened to the extension by cap screws 183 (Fig. 14). The casting179 is urged upwardly at all. times by a compression spring 185. its normal upward position being determined by a stop plate 187 which is fastened to the cap piece 181. A small springpressed plunger 189 (Fig. 15) enters a rounded depression 191 (Fig. 14) in the stem 177 to prevent the stem from turning. Fastened by screws 193 in a vertical channel formed 111 the cap plece 181 is a hardened plate 195 having an inclined surface; and between the inclined surface of this plate and the adjacent flat vertical face of the casting 179 is a roll 197 which is urged downwardly at all times by a coiled compression spring 201 carried by the stem of a small screw 203, said screw being threaded through the stop plate 187. vi h never, therefore, the roll is free to move in response to the impulse of the spring, it will wedge i self between the inclined surface of the hardened plate 195 and the adjacent vertical face of the casting 179 and thereby lock the casting, and with it the work su port 37, against movement w th respect to the cross-head 31 by which the casting is carried.

In order to control the roll 197 so as first to hold it inoperative until the work support 37 has been depressed and then to release the roll so that it may lock the work support from upward movement, a finger 205 (Fig. 3) normally holds the roll up in inoperative position and is actuated by the folderactuat- 'ig mechanism first to release the roll and then to move i once more into inoperative position. This finger or trio 205 is pivoted at 207 to the end of the short substantially horizontal arm of a bell crank lever 209 which is pivoted at 211 to a bracket on the cross-head 31. The substantially upright arm of this bell crank lever is connected by a pin-and-slot connection 213 with one end of a short link 215. the other end of which is pivoted at 217 to the swinging arm 117 by which the folder carrier 49 is reciprocated.

Referring still to Fig. 3, wherein the parts of the machine are shown in the normal positions in which they come to rest, the operation of the work support and the lock will be briefly described. The corner portion of the work is placed upon the work support 37 in the manner which has been described and power is applied to cause the counter shaft 35 to make one revolution. During that one revolution, the forming plate -13 and pressers d5 4) in their descent push the work support down into the position shown in Fig. 10. When the work support is pushed down. the casting 179 (Fig. 3) is, of course. pushed down with it against the force of the com pression spring 185. The arm 117 now swings to the left to cause the folder 47 to fold the margin at the corner of the cover over the board. During the first part of the swing to the left of the arm 117, the bell crank lever 209 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction to pull down the finger 205, whereupon the roll 197 becomes eifective to lock the casting 179, and with it the work support 37 from upward movement with respect to the crosshead 31. After the folder 47 has reached the limit of its left-hand movement, it pauses 31 is first pushed up to press the fold against the under side of the folder 4:? and is then allowed to descend. T he folder is then withdrawn; but the work sup port 37 remains locked in its depressed position until the folder has been withdrawn from the folded margin of the work, whereupon the finger 205 pushes the locking roll 19? up into the inoperative position shown, and the casting 179 is released so that the spring 185 may return to the position shown.

One purpose of this construction is to pre vent possible displacement of the completed while the cross-head fold by the withdrawal of the folder. After the completed fold has been pressed by the upward pressure of the work support 37 against the under side of the folder and the pressure has been released, the forming plate L3 and the work pressers d5 rise, and thework support 37 would then rise and push the work against the under side of the folder by reason of the spring 185 were it not for the locking mechanism which holds the work support down. Under such circumstances the folder in its withdrawal movement would drag back with considerable force over the folded margin and tend more or less to unfold it. Because of the locking mechanism, however, the

' spring 135 is ineffective to raise the worl: support until after the folder has been with drawn.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 9 and 10, the mechanismfor acceleratiiw the movement of the forming block during the folding operation with respect to that of the folder l? will be described. Hitherto the folder, in its folding movement has first gathered the margin at the corner of the cover about the forming block and has then pushed the forming block with it during the remainc er of the folding movement. The forming block has thus moved at the same speed as the folder, so that the space between the adjacent: opposed faces of the folder and the block has remained unchanged. Through this space the upstanding margin at the corner of the cover is dragged during the folding operation; and if this margin gets thicker, so to speak, as the folding progresses, it is liable to be gripped so forcibly between the folder and the forming blocli that it may be torn. 7

Of course, the margin cannot, strictly speaking, become thicker: but the puckering of the corner portion of the mar 'in. which takes place during the progressive folding operation. causes the thickness of the material which is being drawn between the folder and the forming blocl: to increase progressively in certain localities. in order to provide for this increase in thickness and the consequent tendency of the margin to be gripped too tightly during the folding operation and thereby torn or otherwise disfigured, the forming block 51 of the illustrated machine is given an accelerated movement during the folding operation so that the space between.

the block and the folder progressively increases.

To this end, the forming block 51 is actuated by the folder through the following mechanism: The forming block, it will be remembered, is carried indirectly by the rod 71. Adjustably fastened to this rod by means of a pinch-bolt 219 is asplit collar 221 having a downwardlyextend ing stem, integral with the lower end of which is a block 220 having in its under side an undercut guideway. Slidably mounted in this guideway is a small bar 223 having at its left-hand end a downwardly projecting bumper 225 which is adapted to contact with the adjacent fiat face of the upper portion of the forming block 51, or rather with a lug on the forming block which receives oneend of the guide rod 97 and one end of the spring 107. hen, therefore, the slide bar 223, with its bumper 225, is moved to the left, it will push the forming block 51 with it.

lamped to the slide-bar 223 by a pinch-screw 227 is a split block 229 which has in its under side a vertical slot 231. Into this slot extends a pin233 carried at the lower end of an arm 235 which is pivoted at 237 to the stem of the split collar 221. head is screwed into the arm and provides an abutment whereby the arm may be swung about its pivot 237. This abutmentscrew 239, it should be noted, is nearer to the pivot 23? than is the pin 233. Consequently, if the abutment screw 239 is engaged by a body moving at a given speed and pushed to the left, for example at a given speed, the pin 233, and with it thebumper 225, will move to the left at a greater speed. This abutment screw is engaged by a finger 241 which is rigidly fastened to the folder carrier d9 and therefore moves at the same speed as do the folder carrier and the folder 47. I

lVith the collar 221 in the position shown in the drawings, the finger 241 is spaced slightly from the abutment screw 239 at the time when the folder 47 starts its movement to the left. As soon, however, as the folder 47 has moved far enough to gather the margin at the corner of the cover about the effective face of the forming block, as shown in Fig. 9, the finger 2&1 has contacted with the screw 239; and further movement of the folder to the left will cause the forming block to move in the same direction but at a greater speed than that of the folder so that the space between the folder and the block will increase as the folding of the margin progresses.

By changing the position of the pinchcollar 221 upon the rod 71, and by changing the position of the pinch-block 229 upon the slidebar 223 the point in the folding move-- ment of the folder at which mov ment of the forming block begins may be varied. If

A screw 2-39 with a long til it is desired to vary the speed at which the formin block 51 is moved by the folder, the abutment screw 239, which is now threaded with the hole 244, may be threaded into another hole such as 246; and other holes located nearer to or farther from the pivot formed in the edge of the edge guide 4 Although these wipers are useful with practically any kind of work, they are particularly advantageous when so-called ledger tips are being folded. The thick boards of ledger cases are commonly covered with a heavy cloth. the round corners of the case being protected by so-called tips. These tips or corner covers are substantially triangular pieces of leather which are cemented to the outside of the corner portions of the case with their margins projecting beyond the adjacent edges of the case, said margins being Luereafter folded over the round corner and adjacent straight edges of the case. Work of the kind described above is heavy, and considerable difliculty has been experienced hitherto in drawing these ledger tips tightly about the straight edges of the case which are adjacent to the round corner. In order to draw the margins of these ledger tips tightly into place, the wipers 243are each mounted upon guide rods 245, said rods having extensions of reduced diameter which pass through bores in the edge guide and have adjusting nuts 247 and lock nuts 249 threaded upon their ends. Compression springs 251 tend at all times to move the wipers into, and to maintain them in, the positions shown or in whatever positions the nuts 247 will permit, these nuts being adjustable to determine the normal positions of the wipers.

These ledger tips are usually folded entirely by the round corner folding mechanism. Referring now to Fig. 3, the work support 37 is normally in its raised position with its upper surface flush with the top of the edge guide 41. When the corner portion of a ledger case has been placed upon this support with the projecting margin of the ledger tip extending over the edge guide and the forming plate 43 and pressers 45 brought down, the work and the work support 37 are depressed into the position shown in Fig. 9, and the projecting margin of the ledger tip is bent up against the operative face of the edge guide 41. During this depression the wipers 243 8) act to put added tension upon the margin of the tip at localities adjacent to the round corner so as to draw the margin at those localities tightly about the edges of the board.

Although for convenience, the wipers 243 have been described in connection with the folding of the margins of ledger tips, it should be understood that they may be used with any sort of work and are particularly useful when the work is heavy and the cover material refractory. It should also be understood that the wipers are useful on all kinds of work for another reason. The edge guide 41 has two operative straight faces which are at right angles to each other and are joined by a curved face. The effective edge of the edge guide is given this contour because the corner portions of the roundcornered boards of a book case are intended to have this particular contour. It happens sometimes, however, that the straight edges of a board adjacent to a round corner enclose an angle which is slightly less than a right angle; and in such cases the wipers 2 8, which normally project beyond the edges of'the edge guide 41, will draw the margin of a cover tightly about such a board whereas, were the wipers not present, the folded cover might be loose and baggy adjacent to the corner. It will be noted that by manipulat ing the adjusting nuts 247, the wipers 243 may be caused to project more or less beyond the edge of the edge guide 41, or that, if desired, they may be drawn in until their operative faces are flush with the operative face of the edge guide. V] hen the wipers are so withdrawn they are, of course, inoperative to carry out the particular functions which have been described above and in efiect merely form a part of the edge guide.

The illustrated machine is similar in many particulars to the machine shown, described and claimed in the patent which has been referred to above, and to the machines shown, described and claimed in United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,7 76,426 and 1,7 7 6,427 granted September 23, 1930, upon applications filed in the name of Perley R. Glass, and to the machine shown, described and claimed in United States Letters Patent N 0. 1,77 6,389. granted September 23, 1930, upon an application filed in the name of James E. McIntire: and the subject-matter common to these pat cuts and to the present application is not herein claimed.

The mechanism for folding straight edges is not claimed herein but forms the subjectmatter of a divisional application Serial No. 591,871, filed February 9, 193

Although the invention has been set forth as embodied in a particular machine, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine which has been shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1 ,ses',123

mally at a predetermined level, means acting through the work upon the support to depress the support a distance dependent'upon the thickness of the work, means for'locking the support from upward movement, a folder,

means for operating the folder first to fold the margin of the work and then to be withdrawn from the work, and means for unlock ing the support after the folding operation has been completed and the folder withdrawn.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, yielding means for holding the work support normally at a predetermined level, means act-' ing through the work upon the support to depress the support a distance dependent upon the thickness of the work, means for locking the support from upward movement, a folder, means for operating the folder first to fold the margin ofthe work and then to be withdrawn from the work, and means operated by the folder-operating means for unlocking the support after the folding operation has been completed and the folder withdrawn.

4. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, a carrier for the support, yielding means located between the work support and the carrier for normally holding the work support at a predetermined level, means acting through the work upon the support to depress the support against the force of the yielding means, means for locking the support in its depressed position to the carrier, means for folding the margin of the Work, and means for thereafter unlocking the support.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, a carrier for the support, yielding means located between the work support and the car'- rier for normally holding the work support at a predetermined level, means acting through the work upon the support to de: press the support against the force of the yielding means, means for locking the support in its depressed position to the carr er, means for folding the margin of the'work, means for producing relative movement of 4 approach of-the folding means and the work support first to press and then to release the fold, and means for thereafter unlocking the support. 7

6, A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work,

yielding means for holding the Work support normallyat a predetermined level, a

forming plate, means for causing the form-.

ing plate to act through the work to depress the Work support, means for locking the work support in depressed position, a folder, means for moving the folder over the plate and the work support to fold the margin of the work and for withdrawing the folder, and means for unlocking the work support.

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, yield ing means for holding the work support normally at a predeterminedlevel, a forming plate, means for causing the forming plate to act through the work to depress the work support, means for locking the work support in depressed position, a folder, means for moving the folder over the plate and the work support to fold the margin of the work and for withdrawing the folder, and means operated by the folder moving means for locking and unlocking the support.

8. Mechanism for folding the margin at the corner of a book case over the round cor: ner of a board thereof having, in combina tion, a Work support having a corner rounded to correspond to the rounded corner of the board, an edge guide shaped to fit about the rounded corner of the support, the uppersnrfaces of the support and the guide being nor: mally substantially at the same level so that the margin of the cover of a case which rests upon the support will project overlthe guide;

means for depressing the case, and with it the support to cause the margin of the cover to be bent upwardly, means for locking the support in depressed position, means for folding the margin of the cover while the support is so locked, and means for thereafter unlocking the support. 1

9. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a Work support, a forming block, a folder, means for causing the folder to move at a given speed overthe work support to fold the margin of the work, and means for causing the forming block to move ahead of the folder at a speed greaterthan that of the folder.

10. A machine of the class described havmovable overthe work support, a cooperating forming block located in the path of movement of the folder and capable of yielding movement, means for moving the folder toward the block until the folder and the block are spaced a predetermined distance apart and for thereafter causing the forming block to move in substantially the same direction as does the folder, and means for increasing the distance between the block and the folder as the folding operation progresses.

l2. Mechanism for folding the margin of the corner of the cover of a book case over the rounded'corner of a board thereof having, in combination, a support for the work, a forming block, a folder, means for causing relative movement of approach between the forming block and the folder until they are spaced apart a distance such that the margin of the cover is engaged on both sides and for thereafter causing relative movement between the work support on the one hand and the folder and forming block on the other hand to plaitand fold the margin, and means for increasing the distance between the folder and the forming block as the plaiting and folding progresses.

13; A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the'corner portion of a book case, a folder movable to fold the corner portion of the margin of the cover over the rounded edge of a board, a member arranged to engage the margin during the folding operation so that said margin is frictionally gripped between the member and the folder, and means for caus ing the member to move with the folder and for increasing the distance between the member and the folder as the folding operation progresses.

' 14. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a work support, a folder, a forming block, means for moving the folder over the work support and connections between the forming block and the folder for moving the forming block, said connections including a member for engaging the forming block, a pivoted arm for actuating the member, a connection between the arm and the member located at a given distance from the pivot of the arm, and means movable with the folder for engaging the arm at a less distance from the pivot and swinging the arm about the pivot.

15. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a work support, a mo"- able folder, a stationary edge guide, a wiper carried by the edge guide, and means for yieldin ly holding the wiper in position.

16. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a work support having two straight faces connected by a rounded corner, a folder, an edge guide provided with two straight faces connected by a concave curved face having substantially the same curvature asthat of the rounded corner of the work support, a plurality of wipers mounted-in recesses in the straight facesof the 'edge guide, and yielding means normally holding the wipers in positions in which they project beyond the faces of the guide.

17. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a work support having two straight faces connected by a rounded corner, an edge guide shaped to fit about the rounded corner and straight faces of the work support, the top of the work support and the top of the edge guide being normally at substantially the same level so that the corner portion of a book case comprising a round cornered board and a cover may be placed upon the support with its margin projecting overthe edge guide, means for depressing the work support to cause the margin of the cover to be bent upwardly, yielding wipers carried by the edge guide for engaging the margin of the cover adjacent to the corner, and means for folding the margin of the coverover the rounded corner of the board.

18. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, said support being normally at a predetermined level but capable of being depressed, means for depressing the work support, means independent of the pressing means for locking the support in its depressed position, means for folding the margin of the work while the support is so depressed, and means for thereafter unlocking the support. I

19. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, yielding means for holding the work support normally at a predetermined level, means acting through the work upon the support to depress the support a distance dependent upon the thickness of the work, a folder, means for operating the folder first to fold the margin of the work and then to withdraw it from the work, a locking memher for the work support, means for moving the member into. operative position to lock the work support in depressed position before the folder is withdrawn, and means for movingthe member into inoperative position to free the work support after the folder is withdrawn.

20. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work, said support being normally at a predetermined level but capable of being depressed, a member movable in one direction to depress the work support and in another direction to release the work support, means for locking the work support in depressed position after the depressing means has released it, means for folding the margin of the work, and means for unlocking the work support after the folding has been completed.

21. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for the work,

PERLEY R. GLASS. i 

